1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an image recording apparatus utilizing environment sensitive which irradiates photosensitive recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional image recording machines, such as copying machines, irradiate a light on an original and project the light reflected from, or transmitted through, the original onto a photosensitive recording medium, thereby forming a latent image of the original on the recording medium.
It is known that the sensitivity of the photosensitive recording mediums used in such applications are often influenced by the temperature of the recording medium at the time of exposure. Improper ambient temperature around the photosensitive recording medium would therefore provide an image of a low quality and degrade the reproductibility of the image.
As a solution to this shortcoming, Asano et al. have disclosed proposed an image recording apparatus in U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,356 of which the present applicant is the assignee. This apparatus uses an elongated microcapsule paper as a photosensitive recording medium. The microcapsule paper is rolled within a recording paper accommodating case (paper cartridge) in the housing of the apparatus. In use, the microcapsule paper is fed out by the rotation of a motor-driven roller and is wound around a collection roller. The microcapsule paper fed out from the paper cartridge is exposed to alight when passing under a paper support located between the cartridge and the collection roller.
The desired ambient temperature to keep the optimal sensitivity of the microcapsule paper at the time of the exposure is stored in advance in a memory of a controller. Based on a signal from a sensor that detects the temperature of the passage of the microcapsule paper near the paper support, the controller controls a heater member disposed adjacent to the paper support to maintain the ambient temperature at the desired level, thus keeping the optimal sensitivity of the microcapsule paper.
Since the optimal ambient temperature is specifically set in advance in the above image recording apparatus, it is necessary for the user to input an optimal ambient temperature upon each replacement of the microcapsule paper with another having a different sensitivity characteristic. This job is troublesome.